Alabama's basketball team will take a day off for Super Bowl Sunday, and it has to feel like it earned it.

Today's 75-70 victory over Georgia at Coleman Coliseum allowed the Crimson Tide to smile a bit after a tough week spawned by the forced resignation of former coach Mark Gottfried.

"It's been a long week, a tough week, a lot of different things going on," Pearson said. "I feel like they've hung in there awfully, awfully well."

Alabama's players said they sought to win a first one for Pearson after Thursday night's loss at Arkansas, and they did so with a deeper rotation, improved perimeter shooting and the ability to successfully attack the basket against Georgia.

Of the 13 field goals in the first half for all the Alabama (13-8, 3-4 SEC), all were either from 3-point range or uncontested dunks and lay-ups. Up five points at halftime, the Crimson Tide led the entire second half and withstood a late rally by the struggling Bulldogs (9-12, 0-6).

Pearson used all 10 scholarship players on Alabama's bench for at least nine minutes apiece.

"Everybody contributed to this win," Pearson said. "We've got a lot of season left. So if somebody steps up and elevates their level of play, certainly they'll have a chance to get some minutes."

Leading the charge for Alabama was senior Alonzo Gee, who tallied 20 points. Senario Hillman added 19 as the duo combined to go 6-of-7 from 3-point range.